Darren, thanks for your response.

The health system I am referring to is yes, you are correct, the Government or Free health system.

I agree that if you are employed in a country and the income is of an adequate amount - so one is not relying on the state - one can get a residence card.

However, I was self-employed in England and would rather be self-employed in Italy. My intention is/was to open a business here.

At my age now the chances of finding an employer to take me on would be very difficult. Employers would rather take on a younger staff paying them lower wages than an older staff at higher wages. There are also eastern European immigrants who are "flooding" the market here in Italy.

Next, in order to open up a business in Italy, you have to have as prerequisite a residence card or a "carta di soggiorno"! I don't believe this is the case in France or Spain.

I want to open up a business so that I can get into the health system. But I cannot open up a business without the carta di soggiorno - or residence card, and I cannot get the carta di soggiorno unless I pay for private health care and that will be expensive as I have been told by the municipality!

They will not allow you to have a residence card unless you can show that you have the required minimum income - so as not to rely on the state - and that you have paid for private health to cover most medical costs and hospitalisation.

In the past it was just enough to take note of your EHIC number from England, now they do not accept this! They want you instead to take out private medical care after I have already been paying this for years in England.

And in France, if I want to get into the health system, I would have to open up a business. Hence the reason why I asked this forum a few days ago, what is it like to set up a business in France? The response I got back was:

"Setting up a business is a nightmare in France, this is why lots of French entrepreneurs have moved abroad. I recommend looking at the , ACPE website agence pour la creation d'entreprises, IFP also have a section about setting up a business in France. This should point you in the reight direction."

So things are not that simple when moving to another country. Every country has something positive and something negative. The health care system is very good in France, but setting up a business?

The medical situation is always a factor especially when one reaches a certain age or has parents that will need looking after. So yes, the medical thing is a big consideration, so is the language barrier, pensions, employment, self-employment, the hiring and firing of staff, taxes etc, etc.

Fortunately I speak some Italian and am more fluent in French - university degree in French. If I was to go to Spain then I have to hit the books and study the Spanish language. I hate not being able to communicate! My mother speaks English and Italian but not French or Spanish. My stepfather speaks only English. So really, the language is an important element when making a move.

The problem is not that I was born in Canada - I do have and have had for decades a British passport, plus my father was English; the problem is not that at all, because my stepfather is English, born in England, and he is here in Italy with me having the same difficulty. He too would have to take out a private medical insurance - which will be very expensive - just to meet one of the criteria needed to obtain the residence card.

The official - high up in ranking - told us that the issue of the residence card in Italy is in a big mess and people are complaining about it. There are new regulations and not every one is aware of it. That is why I am a little suspicious that there may be in the future similar problems with residence cards in other parts of Europe.

We are now actually considering going back to England.

Regards, wolf.